Railway joint-tie.



R. l. WELLS.V RAILWAY 1mm TIE.. APPLICATION flLfD JUNE l2. |911.

Patented Mar. 12, 1918. 1 ,258,837' I l n um. numnn RALPHJ. WELLS, oFfDAYToN, OHIO.'

sp-eincatiomf Letters Pfe'nt.

Patented Mdr. 12, 1918.

Applicate-n nl'ed Je 12, 19127; serii No. 174,175,

Be" it knmymv that-I; RALPH Wenns; citizen ofthv-United VSt-ce`e, residingat Dziyioiii,"in the county of-Montgnie State of Oho, have invented'veertai new and useful Lhproven'ente iriff'RilWty-Joirnbi Ties," of which -tl'ie'fol'l'owing "a `spe'cfific tion.'

My ini-*finition relaeS to* railw'y "tr'tek Structures and more 'particularly-'to' e nevIT and novel fornu-l of @roes-tie. ther'eioi' espe'- eial'ly 'a joi-n'l tie' for'Supportinfgthe'edjaent ends yof Succeeding rails.

The 'object of the invention isio simplify the structure of such cle\7i`ces'\vhereby they will not only he cheepened'in conetrueiionI hutwill be =nrore "eiiioien't in -us'ef-"offfmfi muni strength Safe tin'vv operi'on, and"un" li lQeiyc-o get' out `'of repair'i A further object* ofthe'*invenoirl is to providel en improved :lforin os leeperor'eup porfo'r the' rail ends-Whi'chwillaiford a degree of vresiliency eilnulaiig-'fthet of the earth' embedded Woodfeii'tie formerly used, -While noesessing'the pern'mn'eney ofinod'ern concreteconstructions.

A. further object of the inventioi'iisvto provide a tie construction Which'is easily capable of transportation and; read'iljf adepti able to differentl lconditions of useaudiwhi'ch may be readily and quickly vassienlhledv into the track "consiru'ction5 andffir-Whicll the perishable parte includiirg fthe: "faeteninge; the 'sleeper hloeks; and cu'shi'n ifz Such fbe used',vl may be "quickl'jr' rfind'cofereriily f re placed-f5 A WithA thef'ab'o've primary'hnd*other ini-L denaliobj eot's in VieWS-Will--inoreillj' apfpeer 'in the Speeifiettioiig -the in'venlion* Ccori?- siste of: thefeeturesof" eo1'iet`ruetion', -the parte and combinations thereof'-l sind the inode of' 'operiioin or; 'their-equiv alenie," eef hereinafter 'described zuid. sefi`i`orth -in The perspeotive "vieWf'of one of the connecting or 'tie1 bers;l Figf' is fe trensverse'section'al View of n track 'Construction:embodying"che tiefer-ming the sub-ject matter hereof.

Lil'e-"parteA are 'indicated 'by feimilar cherac'terSoireference throi'ighoi'it the seilerl views.

Thev invention forming-Whe subject-matter hereof `'is 'analogous' to ithat shown and dieH eloeed' in Letters? Patent of the United States, No. 1,2l8,=1L1l,-issued Merch 6, 1917. It has been found'in practice that! tie 'of special design and arrangement of the sleeper blocks is desirable foruse under rail jointe,l under special track constructions or eorditi one of use' such as in conjunction with1 sign-alor interlock apparatus;

Referring-fio the drawings, 1-1 vare Vthe ra'i'ls'to be'su'pport'ed! It isfthe" 'approved prcticeio break joints `or ois'etfjointsof theopposite rails inrelation one-'With-the other? By this arrangeinentjoint's in 'there-l spec'i'vef rails 'do-'not' ordinerily occur di'-` re'etly opposite one from Jrliefother. Where su'ch rail joints occur, however, it is desir'- ahle thatthe rails" he" Supported'for arnih distance on; either side of the joints inorder that there may he no tendencyforihe'ende of the'ralile to he depressed. or to yield in reletjion'on'e with the other when subjected to heavy trahie.

Tothiel end-,"the rail joint', tie forming the' Subje't ymatter" 'hereof comprises "a i'singleeliifgeted Sleeper for the abutting' ralil' l'ende'J at Foneeide of the"`tra'el" and 'independent spaed *sleepers if for xthe coniiinuo-e 'single riil et. theop'posite 'Side'of the tr'ek. These three' Esleeper- Auni-ire are' intercoiineet'ed Elley "tie hrs orj reinforcement' bars" 'toffo'rii a 'single unit'fyi structure; This tie? Struejuref"is :idptedto be"ernbedded inv e cncretebod'ii- Each" tie struture -may he embeddedin e. sep 'rete'"concrete` body' erft-he road bedf-maj be'bonc'retedin sections and'eec'h Sectiofibe mede to include a seriee` Eof 'ties The tie comprises an elongated box foi'jfre! ceptiele 2- prefer'ebly of' sheetl ineiI-l Alout from the other and also from the elongated receptacle or box 2. The tie bars or reinforcement members 3-3 may be connected to the boxes or receptacles 2 and 4 in any suitable manner such as by electric welding, riveting, bolting or by other means. As shown in the drawing, these tie bars are preferably of angle iron which are fitted to the base corners of the boxes or receptacles 2 and 4. They may, however, be attached by means of the rail attachment or retaining bolts hereafter mentioned., The intermediate bars or transverse reinforcement members are preferably flattenedas indicated at 5, Fig. 4, at points coincident with the elongated box or receptacle 2 which engages within the notch or recess in the flange or the bar and rests upon the flat or outturned flange portion.

Fitted within the boxes or receptacles 2 and 4 are sleeper blocks 6 of wood, fiber, composition or other suitable material. These sleeper blocks are proportioned and shaped approximately to the inside dimensions of the receptacles or boxes 2 and 4 within which they are inserted.

Before inserting the sleeper blocks 6 within said receptacles, a cushion or bed 7 may be provided of asphaltum or other suitable resilient material. In the event that asphaltum or other material capable of assuming a semi-huid state is employed, the sleeper blocks are proportioned suiiciently accurate in relation with the interior dimensions of the receptacles or boxes 2 and 4 as to form a closure to prevent the escape of such cushion material when softened by summer heat and subjected to heavy traffic pressure. It has been found in practice that if the sleeper blocks do not conform suili ciently close to the walls of the receptacles or boxes the cushion material when in its semi-fluid state will be forced out of the receptacles or displaced by said blocks under pressure of heavy traflic. However, this cushion material will not readily pass through a restricted crevice between the blocks and the walls of the receptacles or boxes. It is not necessary that the blocks should closely conform but only that the crevice vintervening between the block and the wall of the box `or receptacle shall be suiciently restricted to prevent the free discharge of the cushion material. This crevice is-sealed by a lm or coating of asphaltum 6 or other suitable material which will exclude Water or moisture from the sleeper blocks.

It has been found that for some conditions of use the cushion 7 beneath the sleeper block may. be entirely omitted and the resiliency of the sleeper block 6 relied upon independent of said cushion. In order that the vibration of the rail ends as traffic passes to and fro over them may not wearthe top surface of the sleeper block (i but shall be unyieldingly held in relation one with the other, a bearing plate 8 of metal is interposed between the sleeper block and the rails as shown in Figs. l and 2. This bearing plate distributes the pressure of the rail equally over the elongated sleeper block and prevents the ends of the rails wearing hcllows or depressions in the upper face of the block by their independent vibration.

The blocks and supported rails are retained in their adjusted position by means of retainin bolts 9 extending through the bottom of t e box or receptacle and through the sleeper blocks 6 positioned therein and thence through the superposed bearing plate 8 and carrying at their upper ends clamping plates l0 which engage the base flanges of the rails 1. These retaining bolts 9 are so positioned in relation with the transverse connecting bars or reinforcement members 3 that they will also pass through the underlying flanges of said bars. However, as before mentioned, these bars may be connected to the boxes or receptacles by other means independent of said retaining bolts.

While for ordinary conditions of use, the tie is preferably of a bifucated formation having an elongated sleeper lat one end and the short spaced sleeper members at the opposite end, however, for unusual conditions of use and particularly ,for special track work particularly cross-overs, switches, etc., it may be desirable to provide an elongated sleeper at each end ofthe tire such sleepers being connected by the intermediate transverse multiple connecting bars or reinforce ment members 3-3. The sleeper blocks preferably extend somewhat above the level of the tops `of the receptacles or retaining boxes and are free to move downward against the tension of the underlying cushion material 7 when such is employed. Their upward movement, however, is limited by theclamp plates 10.

In placing the tie in use, parallel trenches may be excavated across the road bed in the positions to be occupied by the ties and such trenches or excavations may be used as forms for independent concrete ties in which the tie structure before described will be embedded or the road bed may be excavated throughout. In the latter case, the excavation is preferably deepened by longitudinal trenches at each side beneath the positions occupied by the receptacles or boxes 2 and 4.v The excavations of the desired size and proportions having been provided the tie` structure heretofore described is then atgrade and are leveed as is usual vin track maneges? held suspendedbeneath the track rails and within the excavated cross trenchesor withinthe excavatedroadlbed. The excavations ofthe road bed are `then filled with-grenting or concrete as indicated in Fig. 5.` This outing extends around and beneath `the oxes vor receptacles 2 and 4 andthe connecting angle bars or reinforcement members 3. The up er face of the grouting or concrete may if esired extend over the edge of the receptacle into close proximity to the sleeper block positioned therein. This serves to further cover or close the current space between the sleeper block and the interior wall of the receptacle or box.

v It is obvious, however, that the skeleton structure heretofore described may be embodied in independent ties manufactured at a distance from the point of use.

While the receptacle and inclosed sleeper block have been shown in thedrawings as located close to the ends of the tie structure it vwill be understood that they may be located at any desired point orvpoints throughout the length of the connecting angle bars or reinforcement members 3. This will he found especially convenient in the placing of special trac work such as crossings, switches, etc. v

In track constructions for electrical railways the skeleton construction heretofore described forms a cross bond or electrical connection between the respective rails.

It is found in practice that the construction as above described affords a structure of great durability possessing the required degree of resiliency, and which is convenient and economical to install. While the use of an underlying cushion of resilient material is desirable particularly in conjunction with sleeper blocks of comparatively rigid material, it will be found that for certain conditions of use, or when sleeper blocks of more resilient material are employed, such underlying cushions may be enl tirely dispensed with.

From the above description it will be apparent that there is thus provided a device of the character described possessing the particular features of advantage before enumerated as desirable but which ohviously is susceptible of modification in its` utes, the invention has been described in language more or less specific as to certain structural features, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to any speci fic details, but that the means and construction herein described comprise but one mode of putting the invention into effect, and the terenga ged.

invention is therefore/claimed broadly in any of its possible forms or` modifications withinthe scope of the appended claims.

HHaving thus described my invention, -I claim f l. In a railway `tie vconstruction o'f the character described, an elongated sleeper member adapted to"- re'ceive of the track rails, twov separated spaced sleeper members to receive the other track rail, and intermediate means connecting the separate spaced sleeper members with the elongated sleeper member. i

2. In a railway tie, a bifurcated skeleton construction, a sleeper block carried at the extremity of each arm of said bifurcated construction, and a sleeper block connecting the arms of said bifurcated construction.

3. In a railway tie construction, spaced receptaclesor boxes adapted to be embedded in concrete in spaced relation one with the other, removable sleeper blocks positioned within the receptacles or boxes` and intermediate ties between'the boxes embedded in t-he vconcrete body, substantially as specified.

4. In a railway tie construction, boxes or receptacles adapted to serve as forms for the molding of recesses or pockets in a concrete body, sleeper blocks positioned within the receptacles or boxes, means for supporting the sleeper blocks and receptacles on the track rails in spaced relation, and a body of concrete orsimilar material cast around said boxes or receptacles while supported upon the track rails, substantially as specified.

5. In a railway tie construction, two spaced receptacles or boxes, a sleeper block located in each receptacle, transverse tie 'membersconnecting the receptacles or boxes at the extreme sides thereof, and additional ico tie members connecting said receptacles or v boxes intermediate the first mentioned tie members.

6. In a railway tie, a. receptacle or box, a sleeper block positioned therein, and a transverse tie member having a bight or recess therein in which the receptacle or box is in- 7. The herein described method of railway track construction comprising suspendn ing upon the track rails a skeleton tie coinprising spaced receptacles or boxes connected one to the other by intermediate bondsl or ties,`and having a slee-per block positioned in each receptacle or box, and casting a body of initially plastic, and subsequently hardcned material about the skeleton tie.

8. Thel herein described'method of railwavftrack construction comprising, providing an excavation to form the exterior confines of a concrete form, suspending intei-connected sleeper blocks upon track rails traversing said excavation, and fillin excavation with concrete or like material in the i l aroundv tho rail connecting cross ties where- 10 V conne'ctionsfw bo.emboddodi` f f by said vcross ties will be pelruan'entlyy embedx l 9. Tho'hevreinkdes'oribed -methodof rall ded'therein. n Wayback construction `oompl'isn intercon- N testimon whereof, I have hereunto set.- E5 nectin the rails in predetermin spaced remyhand this. 11h da of J une A.' D. 1917. f lation suspondincrossties uponthemilf` f L 4 f f ALPHVJ. WELLS,

Sway n s,`a1mingt ovralstopredetermined. fWitnesses: Y. n' gmdm'nndgwhilesaidlrails are supportedat E. Dumm' Y* ',g'n'ndm` pouring concrete or likematerinl 1 MAnvnnHoAcLANn.)

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